Legion of Boom = best secondary ever?

[HansGruber]

Honestly, with multiple All-Pro's, and Pro Bowlers at every position, has there ever been a better secondary in the history of the NFL?

I saw it mentioned on PFT in the comments, and I have to agree. Has there ever been a more balanced and potent secondary? We've got multiple hitters and they are perfectly balanced by excellent coverage DBs.

I've been watching football since about the 1970's as well, and I don't remember any secondary that is as good overall as the Legion of Boom. Any of you football history geeks know of any?

 

[RolandDeschain]

We need a prolific pass defense this coming year before we can say they are the GoAT, in my opinion.

 

[Hawks46]

It's tough to go historic. Some of the old Raiders secondaries were great, but they could grab and hold you off of the line, and they did....a lot.

I think teams like Pitt and BALT had great defenses, but it was more of an overpowering pass rush covering for above average to good secondaries, but nothing I'd call elite.

I'd definately say we have the most physically imposing secondary in league history. They're the largest, and up there with any of the old teams in terms of nastiness.

 

[SmokinHawk]

I've said it before, but I feel our secondary is historically potent and worthy of their name. These guys are great with or without pass rush.

 

[RolandDeschain]

I think they probably are the greatest of all time, but I'm not prepared to "officially" say it quite yet. They've had the moniker for one year. Sherman doesn't even have two season's worth of games under his belt yet. These guys (excluding Browner) are young.

They are, without doubt, the most physical secondary of the modern DB-rule era. As Hawks46 said, you can't count the physicality of the Raiders secondary back in the day, because DBs were allowed to be significantly more physical.

 

[The Radish]

I think Chi-Town and Green Bay both in the olden days had better middle defenses than anything I see now a days. Of course they were allowed to do many more physical things then than is allowed now.

And no one had better over look the Stillirs of the mid 70s. Don't remember if it was 75 or 76 that pitched 5 shutouts and is considered the best team of all time. We have some great players but do they compare with some of the "Black & Blue" divisions best? I'm not sure.

We have lots of hard hitter yes, but that happens once or twice a game. Teams like GB and Chi-Town, and Stillirs of the 70s had hits like that about every other play. Again, rule changes make a big difference.

Let me throw a couple of names at you and see if you think Brandon Browner or anyone else on our team is better or as good.

Dick Butkus Chi-Town

Ray Nitschke Green Bay

:les:

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

How were the Niner's overall secondaries when Lott was playing? I remember them being pretty good, but I don't recall them being 'to-a-man' good as the Legion is.

If I were a rook DB on this squad, I'd take being a part of this secondary VERY very seriously.

 

[Throwdown]

Yes, just because they are Seahawks.

 

[Trenchbroom]

Sorry but "GOAT" = shutdown secondary. And allowing the Falcons to drive half the field to score a game winning touchdown in less than 30 seconds ^= "GOAT".

They have time to prove it in the future. But right now, nope.

 

[RolandDeschain]

They have time to prove it in the future. But right now, nope.

That was primarily the fault of Gus Bradley's scheme for the final drive.

 

[drdiags]

I would say the Bill Walsh 9ers secondary was pretty good, and young with Lott and the boys. I would also say that Lester Hayes, Mike Haynes and the rest of the Raiders secondary was pretty good. The secondary of Easley, Harris, Brown and Simpson wasn't bad either. There have been several secondary units that were pretty stout, but time blurs the memory and maybe the coverage wasn't as expansive.

Mel Blount was a bad mofo and I seem to remember the Curly Culp-era KC Chiefs as having a pretty good secondary as well. There were a couple of Dallas secondary units that I vaguely remember.

These guys are good but an in depth research article would be nice to read so the true comparisons are known.

 

[drdiags]

The Packers secondary with Jeter and Adderley were outstanding as well. Besides Stram saying Kassulke was running around like a chicken with his head cut off, I thought the Vikings secondary of Bud Grant's and the Purple People eaters was a good group.

 

[Seahwkgal]

These guys are in their infancy in regards to their careers together. It is too soon to call them the greatest of all time. They were the best in the NFL last season. Lets see if they can keep that up this year. Then we can talk.

 

[SouthSoundHawk]

I think it's safe to say it might be early to give them the label. But, it's not too farfetched to have them sitting at the table for discussion.


Besides, Sherm will just talk their way into the foray...everyone else will clean up the mess after they leave the party.

 

[OldWiseHawk]

There have been some great secondary groups. Especially for a year or two runs. The ones that pop out to me. 9ers in 95 with Eric Davis, Deion Sandcastle, Merton Longneck Hanks, and Tim McDonald. That one year they were the best secondary I've ever seen assembled. All made it to the Pro-bowl. Not sure, but at least Deion was all-pro.

Then there was a few years where Bobby Taylor, Troy Vincent, and Brian Dawkins were together. They could have had Etric Pruitt as the other safety and still been amazing.

I imagine those two big corners of the eagles in their prime somehow inspired PC/JS..

We have the potential as they are in their infancy of their run(minus BB).

It's going to be fun. Maybe Simon takes BBs role in a couple years.

 

[Hawknballs]

if they were the best secondary ever, we wouldn't have lost to atlanta.

THey'll have this year to make that step though.

 

[hawker84]

They have time to prove it in the future. But right now, nope.

That was primarily the fault of Gus Bradley's scheme for the final drive.

Not to mention it wasn't our db's in coverage on those plays, it was Wagnor... BB made the tackle on the first pass, but he left his coverage to do so, wagnor got beat by the running back, Wagnor also got beat by Gonzales on the next play as well to seal the deal.. Not the secondary.

 

[hawker84]

if they were the best secondary ever, we wouldn't have lost to atlanta.

THey'll have this year to make that step though.

what are you talking about?

White was held to 5 catches for 76 yrds 1 td... 46 of those yrds came on the td play.

Jones was held to 6 catches 50 yrds 0 td's..

Gonzales went off, he's not a hall of famer for nothing.. But a lot of those plays wagnor was in coverage, Kam on some though.

Sherman had several defended passes, Earl had a critical pick. Browner shut Jones down completely.

I'd say our secondary did just fine in that game, if you want to contribute the loss to something, how about the zero pass rush, and attrocious run defense..

 

[FlyingGreg]

What they do without a top-flight CONSISTENT pass rush is nothing short of amazing.

I drool when I imagine how good they could be with elite pass rushers disrupting the pocket.

 

[NinerBuff]

How were the Niner's overall secondaries when Lott was playing? I remember them being pretty good, but I don't recall them being 'to-a-man' good as the Legion is.

If I were a rook DB on this squad, I'd take being a part of this secondary VERY very seriously.

The Niners' Secondary during the Lott years was good, but not great.

The best secondary the Niners have had was ... Deion, Tim McDonald, Merton Hanks, Eric Davis... and I wouldn't be surprised if the Hawks have a better secondary than that now.